New Cocoa processing plant in Cross River set to go into operation

A new cocoa processing plant in Ikom, Cross River State is set to become operational by the end of December.

The new factory being constructed by Senator Ben Ayade administration will process 50,0000 tons of cocoa beans from the state and neigbouring West African countries such as Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea for export.

The facility will process 240 tons of cocoa daily, which will be turned into liquor and chocolate bars for export to Europe and China, according to the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor Anthony Eneji, who was doing periodic inspection of the facility at the weekend with the Managing Director of AA Universal, Mr Chris Agara, the firm constructing the facility.

“A lot of work has been done here and all the key structures and facilities have been put in place making it ready for test running at the end of December,” the commissioner said.

Mr Agara said, work was progressing both day and night to meet the December commissioning timeline and that Nigerians are being trained by the German expatriates installing the equipment on how to carry out maintenance of the equipment to keep it in top form to meet the tonnage production capacity.